Corpse cooler and preserver



(NO Model.)

H. G. JOHNSON. GORPSE COOLER AND FRESH-EVER.

No. 811,764. Patented Feb. 3, 1885.

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UNTTioio STaTns TaTnNT Truce.

HENRY C. JOHNSON, OF MEADVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA.

CORPSE COOLER AND PRESERVER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 311,76 dated February3, 1885.

Appieation filed December 30, 1884. (X0 model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY CLAY J oHNsoi', a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Headville, in the county of Crawford and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful improvements inCorpse Coolers and Preservcrs, of which the following is aspeciiication.

My improved corpse-cooler is constructed with a coil of pipe, of tin orother metal, or of rubber or other suitable material, within the box orreceptacle in which the body is placed, in combination with a condenser, generator, or receiver for containing a suitable coolingmediumas compressed carbonieacid gas or ammonia, for examplewhich isallowed to expand from the receiver or condenser within the said pipesto produce the desired refrigerating effect. Under my inr provedconstruction the pipes are not used for holding condensed gas underpressure, and hence do not require to possess any particular strength.The coiled pipe is, moreover, pro

vided with stop-cocks where it enters and leaves the cooling box orchamber the first for regulating the passage of gas from the genes atoror receiver, where it is held under pressure, and thesecond forregulating the discharge, while the stop-cocks together serve thepurpose of imprisoning the gas required within the coiled pipe, so thatits refrigerating effect may be prolonged. I further provideadischargepipe for conducting the gas from the coolingcoil out through awindow or to a suitable flue or sink, as maybe most convenient.

My invention further relates to an improved cooling-board employed inconnection with the refrigerating apparatus above described, constructedof laminated wood perforated to give free passage of air, and providedwith straps for confining the body at suitable points, and also withhandles for lifting the body, placing it within the cooling-chamber, orremoving it therefrom and carrying it from place to place.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure I is a perspective view of acorpsecoolerillustrating my invention. Fig. II is aperspective view ofthe cooling-board used in connection therewith. Fig. Ill is a sideelevation of the cooling-board,partly in section, showing handles ofdifferent form.

The case or box 1 may be of any form. The

essary length to deliver the escape of gas into a line or out through awindow, as may be con venient. The regulating-cock 3 is preferablyprovided with a dial and index, as shown, to enable the accurate controlof the gas.

My improved cooling-board 7 is made, as

represented in II and III, of a nnmberof layers of wood cementedtogether with the grain crossed, the whole being perforated, as shown,in order to permit free passage of air. The cooling-board is providedwith a headrest, 8, and with straps 9, 1.0, and 1], in suit ablepositions to pass over the breast and the hips and around the knees ofthe body in order to secure it to the board in the required posture.Standing handles 12 are also provided, preferably of metal, for thecarrying of thelboard with its burden. These may be simple fixedhandles, as shown in Fig. 11, or they may be ele vated, as shown in Fig.Ill, and hinged so as to turn down when out of the cooling-case 1.

The improved construction of coolingboard affords great facility andconvenience in hand ling and dressing the corpse, and enables it to beput in and taken out of the cooler without disturbing the pipes. Inpractice the receiving-case 1 is of course covered with the customarytight lid, and this is preferably provided with a glass for viewing theface.

My present invention differs from that described and claimed in PatentNo. 266,294., granted to me jointly with Francis McMillan, October 24,1882, in that under my pres ent invention 1 do not employ a double boxor any water or other liquid, either forconveyingthecoldorsavingthegases. Neithcrdo I employ the pipes areceiver for holding gas under pressure. As no pressure is developedwithinthe pipes under my present invention, the pipes may be inexpensiveand light, and the entire structure is so light and for holdingliquefied gas.

portable as to be handled and removed from place toplace with greatfacility.

Instead of employing pipes as a receiver for holding the gas underpressure,I now employ a separate holder, as above described, connectingwith tin or other pipes through astopcock, which in operation confinesthe gas within the receiver, and allows onlya limited flow through thecooling-pipe without developing any pressure therein.

It is manifest that flat boxes or connected chambers of any desirableform may be substituted for the coiled pipe 2 within the corpsereeeiver,the. form of the conduit not being essential.

I am aware that refrigerating apparatus for preserving corpses and forother purposes have before been constructed with cooling-pipes in whichcompressed gas is expanded to produce the refrigerating effect. In oneinstance such a cooling-coil has been connected at one end with areceiver or holder containingliquefied gas, and at the other end with awater-tank for absorbing the vapor. In anotherinstance the cooling-coilis constructed of thenecessary strength to serve as thecompression-chamber In still another instance the cooling-coil, whilebeing made of the necessary strength for holding the gas under pressureand passing through a non-freezing liquid, is made to communicate withtheinterior of the corpse-receiving chamber for antiseptic purposes.

My present invention differs from all the above and from any previousapparatus heretofore used within my knowledge, in that I employ a strongreceiver or gas-holder in which the pressure is maintained, a coilcommunicating therewith which is not employed to maintain pressure, andhence does not require to be strong or expensive, and a regulating valvebetween the two, by which the gas may be effectually confined within thecompressionreceiver or gas-holder, and may be permitted to escapetherefrom into the expansion-pipe to a degree or amount accuratelyregulated. I also employ an exit-pipe for discharging the spent gasoutside the building, and between this and the cooling-pipe anothervalve, by which the expanded gas may be confined within the cooling-coilwhen it is necessary.v

Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim as newtherein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. The combination of the eorpsereeeiving case or box 1, thecooling-conduit 2, placed directly within the corpse-receiving chamber,the gas-holder 4, and the stop-cock 3, for regulating the flow of gasthrough the gas-holder to the cooling-pipe, as described.

2. The combination of the corpse-receiving case 1, cooling-conduit 2,holder or receiver 4, and the stopcocks 3 and 5, as described, forregulating the flow of gas and imprisoning the cooling medium within thepipe 2 at will.

3. In combination with the corpse-receiving case 1, the cooling-conduit2, gas-holder 4, stop-cocks 3 and 5, and the dischargepipe 6, as and forthe purpose described.

4:. The combination, with a corpse preserver constructed, as hereindescribed, with areceiving-case, 1, and coil of cooling-conduit 2, ofthe cooling-board 7, constructed as ex plained, and adapted for placingthe corpse within the case and removing it therefrom without disturbingthe cooling-pipe.

HENRY O. JOHNSON.

Vitnesses:

HENRY H. Looxwoon, A. MILLER.

